By Press Release Christian News Wire On December 1, 2013

Trinity Broadcasting Network issued the following statement on the passing of TBN founder and President Dr. Paul Crouch:

Dr. Paul Crouch, founder and President of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world's largest Christian television network, died November 30th at the age 79. His passing followed a decade-long battle with degenerative heart disease.

Dr. Crouch's passion throughout life was to spread the gospel, a passion that in 1973 led him and his wife Jan to found TBN with one small low-power station in Southern California. Under Dr. Crouch's leadership of over forty years, TBN has grown into 26 distinct global networks and affiliates, reaching every inhabited continent with life-changing Christian programming.

During that time Dr. Crouch also empowered scores of ministries to expand their reach and influence through television, and through those partnerships Dr. Crouch and TBN took an active role in helping to lead tens of millions of individuals to faith in Christ. Throughout his life Dr. Crouch pointed to that eternal harvest as his most important legacy.

While acknowledged throughout the broadcast industry as the foremost leader in Christian television, Dr. Crouch maintained a characteristic modesty concerning his role, preferring to emphasize the countless friends and partners who stepped alongside him and Mrs. Crouch to make TBN a successful outreach. Above all, in reflecting on his crucial role in TBN's continued impact, Dr. Crouch inevitably pointed to the importance of an undying faith in God, which he characterized as "walking to the edge of all the light you have ... and taking one more step."

While we mourn Dr. Crouch's passing, we are comforted with the knowledge that his influence and legacy will be felt for many decades to come as the Trinity Broadcasting Network continues to broadcast the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world.